Eligible Los Angeles County residents can begin applying Monday for a new rent relief program intended to assist households financially hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Starting at 8 a.m., applicants can visit 211la.org to fill up an online form. They can also call 2-1-1 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. There will be more than 100 operators available to help people with their application, according to the county.
“There’s going to be a lot of traffic on those telephone lines so I would encourage you, you will be placed on hold, they will get back to you, or you can even leave your number, they will call you back,” said Emilio Salas, the acting executive director of the L.A. County Development Authority.
According to the agency, the program has received more than 10,000 submissions within the first hour. Officials expect to be able to help about 9,000 families.
The application period ends on Aug. 31.
“About 3/4 of renters in Los Angeles County that have fallen behind on rent are Latinx or Black,” county Supervisor Hilda L. Solis told KTLA. “This $100 million investment of CARES funds to create a COVID-19 Rent Relief program will protect our most vulnerable renters who are living paycheck-to-paycheck and struggling to meet all of their financial obligations through no fault of their own.”
The county effort excludes those who live in the city of L.A., which previously launched its own program, which has since closed.
Those eligible for the county’s program include households financially affected by the pandemic and whose income is at or below 50% of the median income.
Households with an income at or below the 30% of the median income can receive up to $10,000, while those at 31% to 50% can get up to $7,500, according to the L.A. County Development Authority.
The county said it will consider the following circumstances in a tenant’s inability to pay rent:
• Loss of income due to workplace closure or reduced hours
• Loss of income or increased childcare costs due to daycare or school closures
• Medical costs for a household member diagnosed with COVID-19
• Loss of income due to government-ordered emergency measures after March 13
Officials planned to prioritize half of the available funding to renters who live in zip codes deemed to have higher eviction and other socioeconomic risks. But those who receive Section 8 Housing Choice or VASH voucher, or reside in project-based Section 8 or public housing are not qualified.
Other residents in areas not considered to have high risk of eviction or other vulnerabilities can still apply.
“A formula used for the Federal Community Development Block Grant Program that takes into account population, poverty, and overcrowded housing, will be used to allocate the remaining 50% of funding available… A lottery of eligible applicants will be run at the end of the application process,” the county said.
The rent subsidy will go directly to the property owner.
The L.A. County Development Authority’s website has an FAQ page in multiple languages for more information.